Rotary engine.



C. M. BURTON & R. GARDNER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.26, 1912.

1,090,021. Patented Mar. 10, 19m

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2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

rnmmmm C. M. BURTON & R. GARDNER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIUATION FILED 0012s, 1912.

1,090,021. Patented Mar. 10, 1914. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CHARLES M. BURTON AND RIO GARDNER, 01? NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

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Specification of Letters Itatent.

Patented Mar. 10 ittl llt ll.

Application filed October 26, 1912. Serial No 727,953.

To (17/ 1c]; om 1' A may concern do it known that we, hmnnns M. Bun'ro'u and R10 GARDNER, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Rotary Engines, o t which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines of the internal COTIllHlnllUll type.

Among the objects in, View are the incrcasing of ellicicncy, the ell'ectivc scavaging, and the nuvintenanoe of uniformity in the delivery of power.

lVith these and further objects in view, as will. in part become obvious and in part. hereinafter be stated, the invention comprises a rotary piston and means for sub jecting the same to the expansive force of a sucr ssion of exploded charges during the course of a single revolution.

The invention also comprises the combination with a piston chamber, of a. rotary piston therein, valved intakes for the piston chamber, open exhausts therefor, and radially movable blades carried by the piston in position for moving successively past a plurality of intakes and exhausts during; a single. revolution of the piston.

The invention further comprises a housinc; forming a piston chamber, a piston sus' tained by the housing and rotatably mounted in the chamber, an intake for the chanr ber adapted to receive an explosive charge under pressure, a Valve controlling said intake, ignition means for such charge adja cent the intake, an open exhaust spaced from i the intake, and a blade movably carried by the piston and adapted to move with the piston past the intake for being subjected to expansive pressure of an exploded charge and subsequently move past the exhaust.

The invention still further comprises certain other constructions, combinations, and

' arrangcmcut of parts, as will in part become obvious and in part hereinafter be set forth in detail.

In. the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an engine can bodyine' the features of the present invention. Fig. 2, is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section therethrough, parts being seen in elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional View taken on the plane indicated by line L -'4 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and G are fragmentary sectional views of the intake valve parts, parts heing-broken away and parts being seen in elevation.

.lteferringto the drawings by numerals, 1 Indicates a casing, or housing, preferably surroumlm'l by a water jacket 2 and mounted on a suitable stand or base I The ends cthousing .1. preferably consist of detachable head plates 4-, 4t bolted or otlun'wise suitably fixed to the body of the housing l. lion ing 1 is formed with an internal cylindrical piston chamber 5 within which is disposed a rotary piston 6 mounted on and keyed to the power shaft 7, which shaft extends through. and finds hearings in the heads t. .llach head t is preferably fol-mod with an outstanding bearing sleeve 53 randainiuc' all or other suitable anti'friction bearings lor the journal portions of shaft 7.

At substantially opposite sides of the piston chamber 5 of housing are formed circumfcrcntially extcmling recesses 10, Il disposed laterally with respect to the chamber and being arranged at one side of a diametrically opposite position so that the recesses 10 approach each other more closely at one side of the chamber 5 than at the other side thereof, which enables and facilitates firing of charges in the receses 10 successively with respect to different parts of the piston, as l'lereinal'tcr fully set forth.

An intake 11 is provided for each of the recesses-ll) and is adapted to be supplied with an explosive fluid under pressure from a supply tube 12, a tiring chamber 13 being disposed just inside of the intake 11 and bein adapted to communicate therewith through a valve opening '14 which opening is adapted to be closed by valves 15, 15 each fixed on a. rock shaft ill, shafts ll) extending laterally through the material of the housiug that is, through the side wall of the intake and of the lirin elnunlnrr, the valves 15 being disposi-d at opposite sides of the recess 141 and adapted to be rocked to and from position closing the valve opening 14-. Each shaft 16 is journalcd in the wall of the housing and adapted to be rocked for all'ording the requisite movement of the valves 15, and to this end the outer end of each shaft 16 is provided with a crank arm 17 extending toward the other shaft. the arm 17 of each pair of shafts 16 having: their adjacent ends lapping; and connected b a pivot pin .18 which in turn is engaged by the bifur- "7 heads of housing 1.

cated end of an actuating plunger 19.. Each plunger 19 is preferably cylindrical in form and extends through guiding eye 20 fixed to and outstanding from one of the Bach plunger 19 is formed with. laterally extending lugs 21 and a sp n 22 is preferably coiled about the plunger 19 between the bracket or eye 20 and the lugs 21, in position for pressing the respective plunger toward a closed position for the valves 15. A washer 23 is disposed between the, end of the spring 22 and the lug 21, and at the opposite side of the lugs 21 from that engaged by washer 23 said lugs are engaged by the arms of the bifurcated end of a trip lever 24, each lever 24 being pivoted to the head i and extending radially inwardly from the respective plunger 19 toward the shaft 7. A Wheel or disk 25 is keyed to shaft 7 and at its outerface is provided with outstanding lugs 26, 26 spaced about the disk proportionately to the positioning of cooperating parts of piston 6, as will hereinafter appear, the lugs 28 being positioned to strike one of the trip levers 2e, and the other trip lever being adapted to be struck by simiiar lugs 29., 29 similarly disposed at the inner face'of the disk or wheel 25, the lugs 29 being preferably spaced slightly in the rear of lugs 28 contemplating the lugs with respect to the direction of their movement, the said spacing being proportioned'to the relative cotiperative action of the other parts of the apparatus.

Each firing chamber 13 communicates with one of the recesses met or adj acent to one end thereof, each end of each recess be ing tapered or inclined, and the opposite end ofeach recess 10 from that with which the firing chamber 13communicates opens into an exhaust port 30, each exhaust port 30 beleft entirely open and free for the exhaust of burnt gases.

The piston 6 is formed with a plurality, preferably four, of outwardly opening, radial grooves or notches 31 disposed to receive and form guide ways for radially movable piston blades 32, each blade being pressed. radially outwardly by springs 33, each blade having along its outer edge a rearwardly directed, tapering projection 31- adapted to engage the inclined wall at the intake end of the respective recesses 10, the outer end of each blade 32 being beveled or inclined inwardly in the rear of the projection 34 to correspond to the inclination of the exhaust end of the respective recesses 10 for afi ording a cam surface for causing the respective piston blades 32 to move radially inwardly as the same pass the exhaust.

A suitable spark plug or other ignition means is disposed to extend into each of the firing chambers.

The ends of the several. lugs 28, 29 and. a.

noe oer the trip levers 24- are rounded in the direction of movement of'the respective elements for facilitating the tripping action and in order to enable ready starting of the engine, each lever 24 is adapted to be engaged by a manually controlled operating device. Such manually controlled device may as- ..sume any of numerous embodiments, as for example the lever and link system illustratcd in Fig.v 1 in which the lever 35' is 3 pivoted to one of the heads 4 and extends beyond the housingand is provided with a treadle 36 adapted to be engaged by the foot of the operator. At one side of the pivot of lever 35 a link 37 is pivoted thereto and at the opposite side of the pivot of said lever 35 is pivoted a link 38. Link37 extends past a guide 39 to a point beneath therespective trip lever 24in position for engaging the lever. and elevating the same when the treadle 36 is depressed. The link 38 extends past a guide 40 and past the respective trip lever 24 and is formed with an outwardly extending or hooked portion 41 disposed to engage and trip the lever 24; when the treadlo 36 is depressed.

From the foregoing it is believed that the operation of the illustrative embodiment of this invention will be apparent and may-be stated as follows: The operator, 'when the parts are in a stationary condition, merely depresses the treadle 36 and releases the same, and then advances or retards the commutator (not shown) until he secures a spark in one of the firing chambers 13. In the act of depressing the treadle 36 the operator will have opened the valves to all the intakes and thus admitted a charge to each firing chamber, the incoming gas being supplied under sutlicient pressure for affording the desired explosion, and upon releaslng thc-treadle the resultant closing of the valves will have left the partsin condition for firing followed .by a continuous operation. The firing of a charge in any one of the chambers 13 causes the expansive force of the explosion to act upon the adjacent piston 32, forcing the same along the recess 10 until it passes exhaust 30 and thus allows the exhausting of the burnt gases therethrough. t is obvious that just after the firing in one of the chambers 32 the charge in the other chamber will be fired, thus supplementing the pressure on the piston 6, and before the exhaust of the pressure of the second fired charge from the chamber 10 another piston blade will have arrived in position for being subjected to the pressure of a t. ird exploded charge, and so on continuously, the piston 6 being subject constantly to the pressure of an exploded charge acting on one or more of the piston blades so that substantial uniformity in the driving of the shaft 7 is obtained, and it is perfectly obvious that while only two of the Cir recesses 10 with the requisite coiiperating parts have been illustrated, any desired number may be provided Within the possibility of the limits of the dimensions of the apparatus, and likewise the number of piston blades may be varied at will for attaining the highest degree of etliciency in any particular construction.

it will be observed that by the employment of a valve 15 at each side of the partition through which the opening 14 extends, the inner valve will serve to protect the outer valve against the destructive etl'ect of successive explosions and the inner valve will continue to serve in this capacity while the outer valve will constantly insure a perl'ect'closing of the opening. The swinging or oscillatory movement of the valves is also obviously valuable in insuring the removal of any excess carbon that may tend deposit on the valves.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In an internal explosion engine, the combination, with a housing having a piston chamber, of'a rotary piston mounted therein, a plurality of sets of blades carried by said piston, each of said blades being radially movable therein, and the blades of each set being disposed diametrically opposite each other, recesses formed in the housing in communication with the piston chambet and disposed for being adapted to he entered by the piston blades, the recesses being of substantially the same length and being disposed nearer each other at one side of the chamber than at the other side thereof, intake openings being formed in the housing at points spaced circtunfcrentially from diametrically opposite points, each of said intake openings communicating with one of the recesses, and means for firing explosive charges admitted through said intake openings, the housing being formed with an exhaust port for each recess, and each re vss being elongated circmn'lcrentially of the housing and having its intake at one end and its exhaust at the other.

In an internal combustion engine, the combination, with a housing having a substantially cylindrical piston chamber, of a .rotary piston mounted therein, the housing having circumferential recesses spaced at substantially opposite sides of the piston but disposed relatively to one side of diametrically opposite points, so that the recesses are nearer each other at onc'side oi the piston chamber than at the other, the recesses being of sul'istantially the same length, diametrically opposite piston blades radially n'lovably carried by said piston and adapted to be moved into and out of said recesses, and means for delivering and tiring explosive charges in position for acting against said blades while in said recesses.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination, with a housing having a substantially cylindrical piston chamber, of a rotary piston mounted therein, the housing having circumlerenlial recesses spaced at substantially opposite sides ot the piston but disposed relatively to one side of diametrically opposite points, so that the recesses are nearer each other atone side of the piston chamber than at the other, the recesses being of substantially the same length, diametrically opposite piston blades radially movably carried by said piston and adapted to be moved into and out of said recesses, means for delivering and tiring explosive charges in position for acting against said blades while in said recesses, an intake for the explosive charge for each recess being at one end of the recess, and an exhaust be ing provided at the opposite end of the recess.

4:. In an internal, explosion engine, the combination, with a housing having a piston chamber, of a rotary piston mounted therein, diametrically oppositely disposed, rad ally movable blades carried by'said piston, recesses formed in the housing in ommunication with the piston chamber and disposed for being adapted to be entered by the piston blades, the recesses being of substantially the same length, intake openings being formed in the housing at points spaced circumfcrentially from diametrically opposite points, each of said intakes communicating with one of the recesses, and

means for tiring explosive charges admitted. to said intakes, the housing being formed with an exhaust port for each recess.

5. In an internal explosion engine, the combination, with a housing having a pis- 195 ton chamber, of a rotary piston mounted therein, diametrically oppositely disposed, radially movable blades carried by said piston, recesses formed in the housing in communication with the piston chamber and 1 disposed for being adapted to be entered by the piston blades, the recesses being of substantially the same length, intake openings being formed in the housing at points spaced circnmferentially from diametrically oppo- 1 5 site points, each of said intakes communicating with one of the recesses, and means for firing explosive charges admitted to said intakes, the housing being formed with an exhaust port for each recess, each recess being elongated circumli'crcntially of the housing and having an intake at one end and an exhaust at the other. i

(3.111 an internal explosion engine, the combination, with a housing having a piston chamber, of a piston mounted therein, an intake for explosive medium for actuating the piston, the intake having a valve opening,- an oscillating valve at each side 01 the opening, rock shafts carrying said 13.?

ing the piston, the intake having a valve opening, an oscillating valve on each side of the opening, rock shafts carrying said valves, means for rocking said rock shafts in timed relation to movements of the piston for moving the valves to and from a position closing said opening, crank arms connected to said rock shafts, a plunge-r pivotally connected With the crank arm, a

spring pressing the plunger to a position for maintaining the valves in position for closing said opening, a trip arm adapted to press said plunger to position formoving said valves, from the closed position, and trip means for actuating said trip arm in timed relation to movements of the piston.-

8. In an internalexplosion engine, the

Copies or? patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner at Patent combination, With a housing having a pie ton chamber, of a piston mounted therein, an lntake at each side of the housing for explosive. medium'tor actuating the piston, 9

sition, and trip means for actuating said trip arms in timed relation to movements of the piston.

In testimony whereof We afiiX our signatures in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES 'iufBUnroN. aio GARDNER.

Witnesses RALPH GURNEY, CHRISTOPHEId' HATFIELD.

Washington, D. G. 

